Happy Halloween!
by J. Maria
Summary: Two people make a connection that shakes up the lives of those around them. Crossover with Disney's Halloweentown.
1. Why I Really Stood You Up

Series: Happy Halloween  
Title: Why I Really Stood You Up  
Author: Jmaria  
Rating: FR-15  
Disclaimer: Joss owns Giles, Disney owns Gwen  
Spoilers: Disney's Return to Halloweentown  
Summary: Part One of the Happy Halloween series  
Pairing: Rupert Giles/Gwen Piper (Halloweentown)  
Words: 322

**Happy Halloween!**  
_Why I Really Stood You Up_

She'd half-wondered if she'd regret it all in the morning as she slipped out of his bedroom. Gwen Piper would have gladly stayed longer, even if things turned weird between them. But she'd had a nagging feeling that something was wrong with Marnie and Dylan, she was a mother first and foremost.

As it was, things were very awkward the day after Halloween as she stood in front of the office building, contemplating going in. He saved her the decision of going in, because he came out of the doors.

"Gwen, I wasn't expecting to see you here," Rupert Giles gave a nervous chuckle.  
"I bet you weren't - especially after, well, the way things ended."

"No, well, I had hoped to see you again. The expierence was - quite memorable."

"Really? I - I actually came to apologize."

"Apologize?"

"For running out like that. You see, I'm a mom," Gwen sighed.  
"I do recall you telling me that several times," Rupert grinned.

"I know. It's - my mother is taking my youngest on trip to learn about our family culture and my oldest two are off at college - and I have an empty nest!" Gwen cried. "All my little birdies flew away, and then they needed me -"

"Gwen, you really don't have to explain yourself. I've got quite a few little birdies myself, of course they're not my biological birdies, but I do feel as protective of them as you do for your children. I understand that they needed you."

"You do?" Gwen smiled.  
"I do."

"That is just - no other guy I've dated has ever been able to get that."

"Perphaps, now that things have settled down with your children, we could try dating again."

"Did we ever stop?"  
"For one brief moment of uncertainty."

Oh yeah, this Rupert Giles was one special guy. Gwen just hoped he'd be able to deal with her other little secrets.


	2. Too Much Information

Series: Happy Halloween  
Title: Too Much Information  
Author: Jmaria  
Rating: FR-15  
Disclaimer: Joss owns Giles & Dawn, Disney owns Gwen  
Spoilers: Disney's Return to Halloweentown  
Summary: Part Two of the Happy Halloween series. Time to meet the kids, starting with the youngest first.  
Series Pairing: Rupert Giles/Gwen Piper (Halloweentown)  
FfA Pairing: Rupert Giles/Sophie Piper  
Words: 982

****

Happy Halloween!

_Too Much Information_

Sophie Piper never got to do the fun stuff with her sister or grandmother. She normally got stuck with Dylan or her mother. Sophie had always had the feeling that she was being left out of something great and important. But now that Marnie and Dylan were off at school in Halloweentown and she was spending a whole year with Grandma Aggie learning how to properly use the Cromwell magic, she had no reason why she should feel left out of the loop. Right? So why was she feeling that old familiar feeling right now? She frowned in concentration, trying to figure it out.

Maybe Grandma would know what it all meant. Sophie set the spell work aside and headed off to find her grandmother, hoping to settle herself down a bit. She wasn't expecting to hear her mother arguing with her grandmother over some guy. Marnie and her mother or grandmother - yeah. That was pretty run of the mill for their family. Mom? Not so much.

"Well, honestly Gwen, if you _feel_ the need to hide him from your _entire_ family then there isn't anything wrong with this - English _man_," Aggie Cromwell huffed, hands clasped on either side of the Witch's Glass.

"Mother, you make it sound as if Rupert's an evil wizard bent on destroying the Cromwell line -"

"It wouldn't be the first time, Gwen," Aggie said too sweetly.

"Mother, you make it so impossible for me to try and tell you anything! I am not a child, I am a grown woman who happens to be very much in love."

"With a strange man who shows up out of the blue and has empty nest syndrome? A bit too convenient for my liking."

"Well, then you'll be very happy to know that my relationship with Rupert Giles has nothing to do with your liking!" her mother huffed. "And Rupert did not show up -"

Sophie tiptoed away from the kitchen. Her mom was in love with some guy? When had that happened? Kalabar and the golem had been close enough calls for Sophie to sort of side with her grandmother. Her mom had really horrible taste in guys. On the flipside of that, Mom had gotten together with her dad. From what she remembered of him, he had been a pretty great guy. Mom had probably fought as hard for Dad as she was fighting for this Rupert guy. Sophie couldn't be sure until she squared him up face to face herself. Luckily, Grandma had already shown her how to access the portal between Halloweentown and home.

Sophie was peeking into the kitchen window not fifteen minutes later. Her mother was still shouting at a pot of soup, and she could hear Grandma Aggie's voice loud and clear. They could go on like that for hours.

"Hello there," a very British voice spoke quietly from behind her, startling her.

Sophie whirled around to face a man who looked a bit older than her mom. He wore a grey sweater and dress slacks, and his glasses looked a bit worn around the edges as if he'd cleaned them one too many times. He had kind eyes and if Sophie was reading his aura right - and she couldn't be too sure, Aggie had just started teaching her how to do that - the man had a strong protective streak racing through it. She saw a few - and she meant very few - spots of true darkness on him, but Sophie noticed they were only in spots where the protective streak had darkened. Aggie had similar spots on her aura, so part of Sophie's mind rationalized it in her mind. Then she saw something that made her smile brightly - something that was a gift only she had in her family. About the same time Sophie saw it, she heard her mother yell loudly at the soup pot.

"I missed having sex, Mother! All the magic in the worlds can't compare to the _fantastic_ sex I'm having with Rupert!"

Rupert blanched at her mother's outburst. Sophie only laughed loudly at his expression. Gwen turned around to see her youngest daughter and the man she was currently sleeping with watching her yell at the pot. She pulled open the door and gaped open mouth at them.

"Rupert - you're early. And Sophie, what are you doing here - you're supposed to be with your grandmother -"

Sophie ignored her mother and ducked into the kitchen to speak to Aggie. It really couldn't wait, and Sophie didn't have the patience to explain it to her grandmother later. Aggie's eyes widened when she saw Sophie on the other side of the pot. She half listened as her mother hurriedly explained who she was to Rupert. She smiled broadly at Aggie.

"You've got nothing to worry about, Grandma. This guy is totally clean."

"Clean? What did you see, Sophie?" Aggie leaned over the pot, trusting fully in her youngest granddaughter's sight.

"Protection, watchfulness, kindness and compassion. Quiet strength and more than enough love to be a father to both his own children and ones he had no part in making." Sophie scrunched up her nose as she looked over her shoulder at Rupert and her mother. "And while I _never ever_ want to hear about their sex life again, I am grateful that he's going to be the one to give me my new little brother or sister."

Gwen stiffened at Sophie's words. Sophie never saw anything untrue. Her sight was never wrong, which made the teen extremely insightful. Too bad her daughter had broken her news to both her mother and boyfriend at the same time.

"New brother or sister?" Aggie cried.

"A child?" Rupert questioned softly.

"Mother, I'll talk to you later. Sophie, you have to get back to your grandmother. Rupert, I'm pregnant."


End file.
